"grip" — objects with handle-like parts (knives 刀, scissors 剪刀, swords 劍/剑, keys 鑰匙/钥匙, pistols 手槍/手枪, chairs 椅子, flaming torches or sticks 火)
本
běn
bun2
bun2
pún
"volume" — bound print matter (books 書/书, etc.)
埲
bung6
bung6
walls 墻 (Cantonese only)
部
bù
bou6
bou6
phō
"part" — novels 小說/小说, movies 電影/电影, TV dramas etc.; vehicles (如:一部大巴); Cantonese only: machines
冊/册
册/冊
cè
caak3
chaak3
tsheh
volumes of books (冊 is more common in Traditional Chinese, 册 in Simplified)
層
层
céng
cang4
chang4
tsàn
"layer" — cakes, optical discs, etc.; stories of buildings
場
场
chǎng
coeng4
cheung4
tiûnn
"stage" — public spectacles, games 比賽/比赛, drama 戲/戏, film 電影/电影, etc.
處
处
chù
cyu3
chyu3
tshú
"location", "site" — ruins 廢墟/废墟, construction site 工地, etc.
齣
出
chū
ceot1
cheut1
tshut
"performance", "show" — plays 戲/戏, circus 馬戲/马戏, etc.
次
cì
ci3
chi3
tshù
"time" — opportunities 機會/机会, accidents 事故
道
dào
dou6
dou6
tō
linear projections (light rays 亮光, etc.), orders given by an authority figure 命令, courses (of food) 點心/点心, walls and doors 門/门, questions 題/题, number of times (for certain procedures) 工序
"width" — paintings 畫兒/画儿; curtains; tapestries; photographs or prints (particularly when mounted and displayed on a wall)
桿
杆
gǎn
gon3
gon3
kuáinn
objects with "pole" (spears 槍/枪, balance scales, steelyard balance)
個
个
ge (gè)
go3
go3
ê
individual things, people — generic measure word (usage of this classifier in conjunction with any noun is generally accepted if the person does not know the proper classifier)
people, workmen (一百多号人/一百多號人); business deals (几号买卖/幾號買賣)[1][2][3][4]
家
jiā
gaa1
ga1
gathering of people (families 人家, companies 公司, etc.), establishments (shops 商店, restaurants 酒店, hotels 飯店/饭店)
架
jià
gaa3
ga3
aircraft 飛機/飞机, pianos 琴, machines 儀器/仪器
間
间
jiān
gaan1
gaan1
king
rooms 屋子, 房; Cantonese only: stores, companies
件
jiàn
gin6
gin6
kiānn
matters (affairs 事情), clothing 衣裳, etc.
屆
届
jiè
gaai3
gaai3
kài
recurring, often annual, conferences 會/会, class years in a school (e.g. Class of 2006) 畢業生/毕业生
卷
juǎn
gyun2
gyun2
kńg
"roll" — film 膠卷/胶卷, toilet paper 手紙/手纸
棵
kē
fo2
fo2
trees (樹/树) and other such flora
顆
颗
kē
fo2
fo2
"kernel" — small objects (beans, hearts 心, pearls 珠子, teeth 牙齒/牙齿, diamonds 鑽石/钻石, etc.) pillows, and objects appearing to be small (distant stars 星星 and planets 星球)
口
kǒu
hau2
hau2
people in villages 人, family members; wells 井; blade 刀
類
类
lèi
leoi6
leui6
luī
objects of the same type or category — affair 事情, circumstance 情況/情况
粒
lì
lap1
lap1
lia̍p
"grain", small objects such as a grain of rice 米
輛
辆
liàng
loeng2
leung2
wheeled vehicles: automobiles 汽車/汽车, bicycles 自行車/自行车, etc.
honorific, or persons with perceived higher social rank (doctors 醫生/医生, lawyers 律師/律师, politicians, royalty, etc.); in formal occasions or in literary Chinese, also used for any type of person (not necessarily high-ranking, e.g. mother 母親)
盤
盘
pán
pun4
pun4
puânn
flat objects (video cassettes 錄影帶/录影带, etc.); literally means "dishes" and can be used for a plate of food
泡
pào, pāo
paau1
paau1
classifiers for liquid extractions (tea 茶, urine 尿)
匹
pǐ
pat1
pat1
horses 馬/马 and other mounts; also rolls/bolts of cloth 布
坺
pet6
pet6
(Cantonese only) small pile of thick, viscous substance — mud, feces, etc.
篇
piān
pin1
pin1
phinn
written work: papers 論文/论文, articles 文章, novels etc.
片
piàn
pin3
pin3
phìnn
"slice" — flat objects, cards, slices of bread 麵包/面包, etc.
樖
po1
po1
(Cantonese only) trees (樹/树) and other such flora
起
qǐ
hei2
hei2
case, instance (两起大脑炎); batch, group (分两起出发)[5][6][7][8]
"strip"; long, narrow, flexible objects — (fish 魚/鱼, dogs 狗, trousers 褲子/裤子, etc.), also for roads 路 and rivers 河, pertaining to human lives, e.g. "兩條人命" two (human) lives, "一條心", lit. "one heart" (to work as one), classifiers for certain things like counter-measures, etc.
頭
头
tóu
tau4
tau4
"head" — domesticated animals 家畜 (pigs 豬/猪, cows 牛, etc.), hair (only used alongside a modifier)
尾
wěi
mei5
mei5
bué
"tail" — fish 魚/鱼 (ancient)
位
wèi
wai2
wai2
uī
polite classifier for people (attached to positions, not names) — workers 工人, director 主任
(Cantonese only) "some", "a bit" — general massifier. Only used in the form 一啲, or without a number (e.g. after demonstratives).
滴
dī
dik6
dik6
"droplet" (water 水, blood 鮮血/鲜血, other such fluids)
點
点
diǎn
dim2
dim2
ideas 意見/意见, suggestions; can also mean "a bit" (often used to denote amount) — e.g. courage 膽量/胆量
段
duàn
dyun6
dyun6
"length" — cables 電線/电线, roadways 路, part as in a drama 臺詞/台词, etc.
堆
duī
deoi3
deui3
"pile" — trash 垃圾, sand 沙子, etc.
對
对
duì
deoi3
deui3
"pair" — "couple" 夫妻, "partner" 搭檔/搭档, ring 戒指, earrings 耳環/耳环, bracelet 手鐲/手镯; Cantonese only: pair of objects which naturally come in pairs (e.g. chopsticks 筷子, shoes 鞋, etc.)
服
fú
fuk6
fuk6
"dose" (medicine 藥/药)
副
fù
fu3
fu3
"set" — objects which come in pairs (gloves 手套, insole, couplets, etc.) also for spectacles/glasses 眼鏡/眼镜, mahjong 麻將/麻将, Chinese chess 象棋; pack of cards 牌
股
gǔ
gu2
gu2
flows (of air 氣/气, smell 香味, influence 潮流, etc.)
嚿
𫩥 (nonstandard) 嚿 (official)
gau6
gau6
(Cantonese only) "piece of", "chunk of" — rock, soap, ginger, charcoal, rice, etc.
管
guǎn
gun2
gun2
"tube" — toothpaste and things that comes in tubes
罐
guàn
gun3
gun3
for canned beverages (e.g. soda), milk powder, sardine, etc.; also for air tank, nitrogen tank, etc.
行
háng
hong4
hong4
"row" — objects which form lines (words 詞/词, etc.); occupations in a field (idiom, spoken language); 行 could also be pronounced as xíng, see below.
盒
hé
hap6
hap6
objects in a small "box" or case (e.g. mooncakes, tapes)
戶/户
户
hù
wu6
wu6
households (户 is common in handwritten Traditional Chinese) — household 人家
liquids (usually drink) in a "pot" (tea, or sometimes rice wine) or kettle (usually water)
伙
huǒ
fo2
fo2
bands of people such as gangs or hoodlums (when heard it as classifier from news it is mostly derogatory); group of people (non-derogatory in some dialect)
劑
剂
jì
zai1
jai1
"dose" (medicine 藥/药)
節
节
jié
zit3
jit3
"section" of bamboo 竹子, sugarcane, etc.; branch of tree; a class period at school 課/课; columnar batteries, carriages of train (look like a section of bamboo)
句
jù
geoi3
geui3
"sentences" 句子, quotes 引用, lines 臺詞/台词, etc.
口
kǒu
hau2
hau2
"mouthful" — amount of food
塊
块
kuài
faai3
faai3
"chunk", "lump", "piece" — land 地, stones 石頭/石头, cake 蛋糕 (piece/slice), bread (not slices) 麵包/面包, candy 糖, tofu 豆腐, etc.; yuan (widely used in spoken language)
捆
kǔn
kwan2
kwan2
sets of bundled objects, usually pole-, rope- or stick-like stuffs (e.g. matchsticks 火柴, straw, wire, etc.)
倆
俩
liǎ
loeng5
leung5
sometimes used informally instead of 两个 (liǎng ge), to mean "two" (especially two things or people that are close to one another)
摞
luò (luǒ)
lo3, lo6
lo3, lo6
set of objects either be "stacked" (a stack of, e.g. books 書/书) or be piled (a pile of, e.g. bricks 磚/砖)
縷
缕
lǚ
leoi5
leui5
"strand" — hair, smoke 煙/烟, wind 風/风
排
pái
paai4
paai4
"row" — seats 座位, lanterns 燈籠/灯笼, aspen, etc.
批
pī
pai1
pai1
"shipment" — used when a large number of people (e.g. pupils) coming (e.g. entrance) or leaving (e.g. graduate) during the same period; also used for large amount of commodity, mass-produced objects (products 產品/产品, laptops, etc.) or supplies.
瓶
píng
ping4
ping4
objects in "bottle", vial, or flask. usually not too large so that people could takes by hands (e.g. lemonade, water, troche, etc.)
sometimes used informally instead of 三个 to mean "three", "three of"
束
shù
cuk1
chuk1
"bundle" of flowers 花; light 光, laser.
雙
双
shuāng
soeng1
seung1
"pair" — chopsticks 筷子, shoes 鞋, etc.
套
tào
tou3
tou3
"set" — books 書/书, teaware 茶具, collectibles, clothes 衣裳, etc.
聽(听)
听
tīng
ting1
ting1
for canned beverages (e.g. soda, cola) "tin" ("听" is common and informal in handwriting Traditional Chinese) — A recent loanword that have involved in Mandarin from Cantonese
團
团
tuán
tyun4
tyun4
"ball" — (balls of yarn 毛線/毛线, cotton, etc.)
坨
tuó
to4
to4
"lump" — mud 泥, feces 糞便/粪便
碗
wǎn
wun2
wun2
for food in "bowl" (e.g. soup 湯/汤, rice 米飯/米饭, congee 粥, wonton 餛飩/馄饨)
些
xiē
se1
se1
"some" — general massifier. Only used in the form 一些, or without a number (e.g. after demonstratives).
行
xíng
hang4
hang4
groups of people traveling together, such as a trade commission or diplomats and aides visiting a foreign country: "国王一行人离开巴黎后十分兴奋" (having left Paris, the king and entourage were very excited). Note: almost only used in the form 一行人. — 行 is also read háng, see above.
匝
zā
zaap3
jaap3
number of revolutions
扎
zhā
zaa1
ja1
In Cantonese usage, this is used in lieu of shù (束), e.g. a bundle of flowers "jar", "jug" — beverages such as beer, soda, juice, etc. (A recent loan-word from English, it may be considered informal or slang.)
陣
阵
zhèn
zan6
jan6
"gust", "burst" — events with short durations (e.g. lightning storms, gusts of wind 風/风, etc.)
注
zhù
zyu3
jyu3
a "pour" of water, tea (liquid); a "bet" — lottery 彩票
組
组
zǔ
zou2
jou2
"set" — general mass-classifier for sets of objects (sets of, e.g. batteries 電池/电池, planets 行星, variables 變量/变量, data 数据/數據, objects 對象/对象, words 詞/词, or any sensible thing you want to name). A set is usually assumed to have two or more objects. But there are also exceptions: depends on what object the classifier is used for, the quantity of objects in sets may be assumed without context. When assumed, the classifier usually falls back to play a similar role to either 雙/双, 副 or 對/对: for example, when used for certain objects that come in pairs, e.g. 搭檔/搭档, represented as 一組搭檔/一组搭档 (一對搭档/一对搭档 is valid), here the quantity in each set is assumed to be two (i.e. one pair). Note that when used for other naturally paired things, like chopsticks 筷子, represented as *一組筷子/一组筷子; here the quantity of objects is unspecified if no context specific it, as people never use 組/组 for chopsticks as a natural in-pair object classifier (That is, except for certain objects like 搭檔/搭档, the classifier 組/组 won't fallback to 雙/双, 副 et al. when used for objects in pairs.)
the number of times an action has been completed, emphasizing the action's length and effort. e.g. 改了三遍,把课文读一遍
場
场
chǎng
coeng4
cheung4
a length of an event taking place within another event. e.g. 哭一场,演一场,(一場戲,一場表演)
次
cì
ci3
chi3
times (unlike 遍, 次 refers to the number of times regardless of whether or not it was completed). e.g. 每次,上一次,下一次,试了五次,(三次机会,第一次用,第两次出国)
頓
顿
dùn
deon6
deun6
actions without repetition. e.g. 打一顿,骂一顿,(一顿大,一顿骂)
回
huí
wui4
wui4
occurrences (used colloquially). e.g. 潇洒一回,来一回,走一回(過場)
聲
声
shēng
seng1/sing1
seng1/sing1
cries, shouts, etc. e.g. 砰的一声,哗一声,滴滴两声,(一声响,一声呼唤)
趟
tàng
tong3
tong3
trips, visitations, etc. e.g. 走一趟,去一趟,(一趟下来)
下
xià
haa5/haa6
ha5/ha6
brief and often sudden actions (much more common in Cantonese than in northern dialects). e.g. 咔嚓一下,噌的一下,跳兩下,按五下. also used as weakened injunctive mood. e.g. 來一下,幫我一下.
^Wēi Zhǔbiān (危东亚), ed.; et al. (1995), A Chinese-English Dictionary, Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press, p. 1144, ISBN9787560007397{{citation}}: |author= has generic name (help)
^John S. Barlow (1995), A Chinese-Russian-English Dictionary, University of Hawaiʻi Press, p. 392, ISBN0-8248-1729-X
^Wú Jǐngróng (吴景荣), ed.; et al. (2006), New Age Chinese-English Dictionary, The Commercial Press, p. 612, ISBN9787100043458{{citation}}: |author= has generic name (help)
^Wēi Zhǔbiān (危东亚), ed.; et al. (1995), A Chinese-English Dictionary, Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press, pp. 775–776, ISBN9787560007397{{citation}}: |author= has generic name (help)
^John S. Barlow (1995), A Chinese-Russian-English Dictionary, University of Hawaiʻi Press, p. 505, ISBN0-8248-1729-X
^Wú Jǐngróng (吴景荣), ed.; et al. (2006), New Age Chinese-English Dictionary, The Commercial Press, p. 1207, ISBN9787100043458{{citation}}: |author= has generic name (help)
^Wēi Zhǔbiān (危东亚), ed.; et al. (1995), A Chinese-English Dictionary, Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press, p. 1144, ISBN9787560007397{{citation}}: |author= has generic name (help)
^Wú Jǐngróng (吴景荣), ed.; et al. (2006), New Age Chinese-English Dictionary, The Commercial Press, p. 1744, ISBN9787100043458{{citation}}: |author= has generic name (help)